Municipal council election 2025

Rumors, bitter losses, mayor’s resignation

Stepping down as mayor of Baden: Stefan Szirucsek (ÖVP). Helga Krismer (Greens) continues negotiations.(Bild: 2024psb/c.kollerics)

Who will govern the city? After the municipal elections, this question is still completely open in some important municipalities. There is currently a lot of negotiation - and sometimes arguing ...

Difficult political negotiations in Baden, Neunkirchen, Scheibbs and Wiener Neustadt. Majorities must be found after the municipal elections.

ÖVP/FPÖ "already in a pact"?
In Wiener Neustadt, the Greens are therefore already taking aim at the People's Party. A government without the FPÖ would also be possible. "But for Klaus Schneeberger that is unthinkable. A black-blue coalition has long been pacted, the voters are being hoodwinked", criticize the Greens. Spokesperson Selina Prünster continues: "We remain true to our position: no cooperation with the FPÖ." ÖVP circles say that no coalition has yet been fixed, that all parliamentary groups have been invited to work together and: "The Greens also rejected this in 2020. That is to be accepted, but has nothing to do with black-blue or any other color combination."

In Langenzersdorf in the district of Korneuburg, things are less rough: the "Für" citizens' list achieved 23.6 percent when it first ran, while the ÖVP dropped from 53.3 to 37.8 percent - it is still unclear who will work with whom. Negotiations are also underway in Gerasdorf near Vienna, where the Freedom Party was able to double its municipal council seats - and the FPÖ is now even the second-strongest parliamentary group with 33.3 percent.

New political leadership for Baden

In Baden, meanwhile, the hapless ÖVP mayor Stefan Szirucsek declared that he would no longer be available to lead the town. National Councillor Carmen Jeitler-Cincelli is now leading the exploratory talks with the other parties - preferably with the SPÖ and the citizens' list "Wir". What will happen next? That could become clearer today at a press conference by Green Party leader Helga Krismer, who has also been active as deputy mayor in Baden ...